001p.m. I do have uh all of my committee members on. Thank you very much for making the meeting. Um Kelly, we're going to uh move forward and start with the largest of the policies this evening, 5114.12 restorative practice response policy, which is going to replace our 5131.911 bullying policy. Thank you, Miss Ketta. Um yes. So uh this evening I'd like to bring to your attention um this new policy. It is a CA policy. Uh by state statute we are required to have a restorative practices and response policy in place by July 1st um of this year. And we do have a time and an opportunity over the course of the next year to further flush out the regulations attached to this policy. Um, so for this evening, um, I'd like to go over the restorative
002practices response policy, answer any questions related to the policy. I did put the sample regulations there just as, um, some additional details um, of future information to come. Um, and the recommendation is that this new restorative practices uh, policy replace our former bullying policy, which is 5131.91. Um, so I will go ahead and bring that up on the screen. I know there was a quite a few pages of background. I think it was about eight pages of background information on kind of the why behind this policy, but we'll focus um on the wording in the policy. And like I said, I'll open it up to any questions that anyone has. Give me one second to pull it up. Okay, I did see a question in the chat. Uh, Miss Kad, do you want me to
003start by answering [Music] that? It was the cost to the district on the policy implementation from Teresa. Sorry, I couldn't hear you, Kate. Sorry, I forgot I was on mute. Go ahead. No worries. Okay. Um so while there's not a direct cost that I could say um you know that this policy is going to cost x number of dollars um some of the things to be considered in this uh is that there will be training um in restorative practices uh that we will need to uh put into place for our administrators. So we have um started a collaboration with at advance our local risk and we'll start this work at the end of June with our administrative team um as they will need to develop a restorative practices um policy as part of their um
004school improvement plan or uh outline for their individual buildings. It's not their it's like their individual roadmap in the schools. Um so we have uh leazisoned with that advance to help us with that work um so that we can bring alignment across the district and then of over the course of the next school year we will need to devote some uh some of our professional learning time um for turnkeying uh this training that administrators will receive over the summer months to school district staff. Um in the long run the hope of this policy is to reduce um in and out of school suspensions um and arrests of our juveniles. So uh the cost to the district um over time it you know the hope is that this policy will help to have better outcomes for
005uh our students um you know resulting in better learning um and community uh partnership with kids. Oneita I see you have your hand up. Um I I'm actually wondering if we can have uh Kelly introduce the policy to us and then we can open it up for conversation if that's okay. Thank you very much. Please continue, Kelly. Thank you. Okay. Um, so I am, like I said, overviewing the policy. Um, really here, I think a couple important things to, uh, highlight. Oftentimes we'll get a question of, you know, is this restorative practices in response to all behaviors. Um, and it is intended to respond to most behaviors. Um but any behaviors that are violent in nature or criminal in nature um do have other statutory requirements um such as more significant suspensions or um even
006expulsion. Um so I just want to bring that to people's attention. Uh the rationale bea be behind the restorative practice policy um is to bring community amongst um amongst the school environment so that students, staff and families feel part of a larger school community um and really to establish that that culture and climate in a positive way in the school environment. The second is to bring accountability for students. So having students own their behaviors uh both positive and negative. So if they make a mistake or a staff member makes a mistake that there's a way to learn from that mistake and then make good on that mistake. Um so for example if you destroy property maybe the way that you make better for it is that you might apologize to whomever's property it is and
007then fix it. Um that's just one example. Um it also uh is to try to bring about increased safety in the school environment that all stakeholders are invested in that positive school community and culture. um so that there's a safe school in place. Um and then the last piece is on competency development which our former discipline policy really didn't have about teaching students replacement behaviors. Um so this is really about if you make a mistake the assumption is that you need to learn something, you didn't know better or you weren't aware or you maybe were impulsive in your actions and so we have to walk you back through it and really make sure that we're u providing students with explicit instruction and what it is that we expect from them. So that's kind of the
008highle overview and I will answer any specific questions about the policy. Oneita, did you want to jump in? Thank you. Good evening everyone. Um, so here's my concern. We have another state mandate that is not funded. That's number one. Number two, restorative practices require um extensive time to work through the process our um so number one is it the duty of the ad if an issue comes up that meets the requirements of restorative practices is the expectation that the um the administrator is our safe school climate coordinator. Is it someone else assigned? Is there an assignment in each of our buildings of someone who is the safe school climate coordinator that runs this restorative practice um process? If it's done has as we have used resources in the past, the resources have been um most
009of the time our school counselors and yet um we're piling even additional responsibilities beyond the restorative practices to our counselors. So, if you're familiar with this process, it is a sitdown relationship building conversation having um may not be a one-time. It may happen over a you know a couple of days or a couple of sessions in order for students who are at the developmental and cognitive age of reasoning and understanding that it may take them longer to move through that process. So it's important um I understand I think the conversation was is that the administration would be trained I'm not sure who that includes. And then does it get delegated to school psychologists, school social worker, school counselors? Um and so we might have the process on paper. I I'm concerned about um that process
010actually happening. I um and so that is my concern. The other thing is is that um part of that element is that restorative practices, if I'm not mistaken, is also supposed to be imshed somehow in the curriculum. And so perhaps there are ways that we can highlight and key um certain lessons that are geared toward re building relationships, building a positive school climate. Um building healthy relationships um and so that that is my concern. It is not to go into the session to talk about um the consequences, the the rules that were broken. It is more to establish a relationship between the individuals um talking about the harm, talking about the behavior, how it has harmed, how can we develop something more positive, how could you have reacted? Um, and so if you're familiar with
011conversations like that, those are not one and done. They're not in in in five minutes and okay, you guys, you good. Okay, see you later. So that that's my biggest concern is we're using the terms but what what does the helping the policy committee understand what the process looks like who's responsible for the process and uh the resources if it's just the administrators that are going to be trained then I'm assuming that it's the re administrators who are going to run the restorative um process in the schools. Thank you. Thank you, Anita. I will try you. You shared a lot, so I will try to make sure I hit on all of your um questions. Please uh interject if I do not. Um the first I understand the concerns regarding um the mandate um and
012and funding and you raise a lot of um you know very valid points and concerns that um while in my personal and professional opinion I think that this is the right approach to take with our students um it cannot be underscored by it takes more time um than it does say to issue a disciplinary action. It is about coaching and teaching and processing um and and you know getting students to really understand their actions and then how to do better moving forward. Um so as far as who will be trained, we're going to start with training um for the leadership team over the summer. Um they will be uh the school climate coordinator. So either the principal or possibly an assistant principal in a in one of our larger schools will be the school climate
013coordinator for their buildings. Um we are then going to turnkey the training with staff in the fall. Um so that different members of the school community will receive um additional training. Um that's teaching staff, counseling staff, um you know psyches, social workers and so forth. Um and then the hope is the the um leadership team, the administrators in the building will take the primary um focus of doing the restorative practices as we're getting others trained. Um but the hope in time is to develop a team within the building that could help and process and respond to this. Um, I think it's really important that as we roll this out, we seek feedback from our schools because I do think that we need to be cognizant of the other um the other responsibilities that our staff
014are charged with. Um, and who is most appropriate and most effective to do this. Um, but it will be the leadership at in the beginning to take the primary charge and responsibility and then delegating some as they build their teams and people become more more um comfortable with with the approach. I hope that that answers some of your questions, Monica. Yeah, I I just Yeah. And so I'm looking for a um I guess in the regulations that there's some as you said some feedback um so that it's almost like on a timet. I'm concerned that as we build um these teams in the building and people are appropriate um staff that they're pulled from other duties to do this job. Um the other Yeah. And also making sure that this is a policy that crosses
015the full Danberry public school spectrum right over to reach and endeavor. um and keeping a uh these are kids who we are trying to do re-entry with and I think that we have to put resources in place that that is definitely happening at that location and um the only other suggestion I guess and again it's in regulation or just Kelly for your notes um I would love to see on each of the uh Danbury public school website the the name of the school the safe school climate coordinator in each of the buildings. Thank you. Um so just to just to respond um this the intent of this policy is to be implemented districtwide. So from our preschool setting with our youngest students all the way up to our high school including our reach endeavor program
016as well as our ACE programs through alternative schools as well. Um and I will certainly um bring back to the committee as we develop the regulations and they will be shared with the board before implementation. Um but your suggestion Oneita of the um posting of the safe school climate coordinator on the website in a central location, I think that that's a good idea so people know who to go to and certainly as part of the feedback process. Um one of the things that we're going to be looking to do is is the personnel that we have the time that it takes to do this. And I think um you know that's kind of the first question going back to Teresa's question of is there a cost? Um yes, it's a personnel cost um and a
017training cost. And so those are things we're going to have to monitor um to do this and do it well. You know, will we, for example, be talking about the need for increases in certain areas to be able to do this work. And I think that a little bit premature to say um but we we certainly recognize that there is a c a significant time component to doing this work and doing it well. Um that said it is the right work to do with our youngsters. Agreed. Kelly the um the the um oh my goodness why am I forgetting the word uh the regulation sorry it's quite extensive um and I noticed that there's a section that talks about using different stakeholders uh in the school community to build plan out within each school space.
018Um is the intent to have one large districtwide um conversation or is it uh going to be done by school? I'm just curious. Sure. Um so in the beginning it will be a district expectation of this is what we expect to be um across the school so there's uniformity. Um but then what what we will do is once we set out the expectations with our our school leadership teams um is to have them go back into the schools and identify the individual staff members within their own respective buildings that will help to support the work. Um so there'll be uniformity as far as the requirements and then of course um each building has you know some some different personnel different unique needs and they will identify their individual teams. Okay. Okay. I guess I'm looking
019at um section B which talks about that they're looking to solicit participation views and feedback of at least one representative of these following groups. Uh parents and guardians in particular. Um how what's the plan I guess to keep them involved in these conversations? Um so you will see in the regulations that there's a requirement for training of parents and guardians. A lot of the times this will also been be elicited a parent um or parent group representative through the PTA for example. They'll ask for uh volunteers but it will be a requirement for parental involvement on every one of those teams. Okay. Thank you very much Teresa. I really would like to know the estimated cost um of implementing this. I really would. I think as we as we roll it out over the course
020of the year, Teresa, I think we can certainly get, you know, get back to you with some information. Um, in the beginning, it's like I said, the summer work is our work with that advance, which is a contract. Um, you know, how much is that? Off the top of my head, I'd have to look it up. I I don't know. Um, and then, um, you know, there's definitely, uh, the professional learning time. There will be several days devoted across the the school year. So, you know, that is time that we're paying staff that we're devoting to this work. Um and then I think the the harder to quantify is um what Wanita had shared is what is the the personnel cost? How much time are they devoting on on doing this task? So um it
021it is a lot um and we will certainly try to try to get you a quantifiable figure to to get back to you on that. Well, I realize this wasn't uh considered when we established the budget this year because this just got approved in the springtime. Correct. So, uh I have to ask it because the budget is just so high. We have to uh be very very careful uh and know what every dime is going toward and I understand this this is a mandate but I'd like to get that figured. Thank you. So, I just want to be clear that what we're talking about here are the actual policies and the content of those policies. And I certainly appreciate the question, Teresa. Um, but I do want to make sure we contain our conversation here
022at the policy level to that information. That might be a conversation to bring up um at the finance meeting if if possible. Okay. No, I think this is the time to ask it. I'm sorry because we don't really cover all the I appreciate that. I appreciate that. But I do want to keep on target with the actual content of these policies. We have a number of them on here and it's very easy for us as a group, I think, when we're talking about finances to kind of go down that path. I want to make sure we stay on our path for policy tonight. Okay. Thank you, Michelle. You're on mute, Michelle. Sorry. Michelle, I don't know if you Okay. Sorry. Can you hear me? Uh, we heard you briefly. It looks like you're flipping back.
023How about now? Can you hear me? Yes. You're going in and out. I'm unmuted now. Thank you. Sorry, I'm outside. I've got a bad connection. Um, I just wanted to ask, can you just highlight real quickly the actual like can you point to the specific differences? Like I know you said, you know, we're going to go through and we're going to train as a as a group over the summer, but um what's the basically the estimated timeline to get this rolled out? Like you know, when we buy a math program, it takes us a year to buy it, a year to learn it, and then roll it out and it doesn't necessarily get rolled out the same way. you know, all the grades. So, like what are we looking at? Is there another school district
024that has already started kind of implementing this anywhere or is this just new and everybody's kind of developing their own, you know, staff and administration and how long the projected timeline is? I'm just looking at some of those answers. I know this is a policy thing, but I'm just wondering if you know have any of those answers for me. Thank you. I I will attempt at some of them. um you know the across the state this is the requirement as of July 1st. So, um, we have, you know, so have other districts fully rolled out, uh, the extent of this policy, not to my knowledge. I will say we've partnered with some other districts that are, um, doing this work. Some are a few steps ahead, some are a few steps behind. So, in just
025sharing the knowledge and that is why we did um make the decision to contract with Ed Advance is we thought it was important that um to make sure we're fully compliant and rolling it out expeditiously and getting everyone on board um that we used kind of that that agency to support us with the work. Um we are required to to begin this work at the start of next school year. Um the reality is with ongoing training, professional development, the feedback and part of the reason why you have additional time for the regulations is that they realize that next year is going to be a learning year and implementing this. Um so we will uh frontload and do professional development and training in the fall um with the school-based teams um and then you know continue
026to uh institute this work over the course of the year and I I expect that we'll be bringing it back to the policy committee um definitely to do the regulations in the springtime. Um, but also to make any tweaks or changes that are necessary. So, I think about a year. Oh, I'm sorry. I can't hear you, Michelle. I said that helps. Thank you. About a year or so to get everybody. Otherwise, we'll just be going as is until you start implementing it once you come back if there are any tweaks that need to be made. Right. Correct. Thank you so much, Al. I saw you had your hand up. or you uh no longer need to ask ask a question or Yeah, I just just want to share with you that you know uh Stansville
027public schools uh did this this this restoration um last school year or I think the last two school years if I'm not but definitely last year and you know the the outcome of it is that they they hired a particular educator teacher to be responsible for you know uh res uh restore it does work it does work for uh you know to have get the the children the students back to normal but like anything else is that is only effective if the if the receiver is willing to make some changes in their life and their academic stuff. So again yeah you have a lot of resto you know we had a lot of students that were absent that kind of uh you know they kind of got them back on track and then you know
028they they did their own thing it never never caught up. So, uh, it's a great program. If the if the receiver, the audience, which is the student, is willing to accept and willing to work to get to get back to work they need to do, it works. But time will tell. Um, I Yeah, I was gonna have something to say. Um so as a role as a uh former counselor these are skills that um we would bring to the table with students. Um again when we talk about yes this is the policy we have to have it in place as board members we still are accountable for how that program pans out how it's used how it's developed who is going to do it who what when how and why um and so I think
029we we will get the policy in we have to have it in it's mandated but we need to be very very careful about making sure that this policy rolls out that it's um I mean there are so many we're dealing with so many developmental levels of students um a full range um trying to develop empathy in students responsibility accountability honesty respect it's not again yeah okay I I'm not going to beat the force, but um right down to reparations. But we we have to have students who are at a developmental level or a cognitive level or a reasoning level to fully take advantage of this type of a uh so we have to do it the right way. It's not onesizefits-all. We're a large school district. Um certainly it's my expectation that elementary is going
030to look different from middle school. Middle school is going to look different from high school. But the training that needs to go on, that's why I'm worried about the personnel who are going to be um trained, responsible, and accountable. um uh and understand that we um restorative practices were originally introduced because of the high number of suspensions in our students of color. Um and so um being culturally competent that should be one of the training issues. Um, but anyway, we have to have it in. I understand. But I am really going to be pounding on the regulations and moving forth that, you know, we're saying it's across the district. I want to see it in reach and endeavor. I want to see it working. I don't want to see those students sitting there. Um, if
031we can restore some accountability in them that could they could even be discharged even sooner because they bought into the program, they worked the program, they did their goals. I'm not convinced that we have those type of resources available at Reach and Endeavor. I'm done for the night. Um, I want to just turn to the actual text of this policy because I think it's, you know, this important that everybody here on this committee take a close look at that and see that it aligns with sort of their expectations for how this will work because that is blueprint that's going to be used when dealing with the regulations and with the administration of this policy. So, um, please do make sure that the language in there uh meets your expectation. Um, one thing that I do
032notice, Kelly, is that the former policy really uh is centered around bullying, bullying prevention. It goes so far to as to define those bullying behaviors. And the new policy really does not include much in the way of that. It's it's sort of talking about how we're addressing behavioral issues that are coming up and what we're doing to sort of lead students back to um you know a a safer and healthier uh path for everybody as far as behavior is concerned. Um do you have any concerns, Kelly, about the removal of that language about bullying? Um so it there the two policies are are very um different in nature. I do think um you know I do think it's something that we're going to have to monitor. Um we could always add back in um any
033investigatory language um either through a policy or through regulations if we felt that the removal of the bullying policy um you know uh put us in a position where we needed to have some language in policy for that. Um that said, I will say that we are seeing at times an overreiance on that policy where um uh sometimes behaviors that are that are not bullying in nature are being classified as that. Um and so trying to look at the why behind the behavior which is in the restorative practices policy so that we can make plans and interventions for students and that could that could very appropriately address a bullying situation. Um, so if a child was being bullied, you know, you're going to restore the behavior by the student that is the uh um the
034one that is doing the bullying in the situation, but you're also going to put supports into place for the student that that is um you know, being targeted by the bullying behavior in school. Um but it but it um takes out the language from the former bullying policy that really um is very disciplinaryheavy in nature um and really allows um the school uh cl I'm sorry the uh school climate coordinator to put into place both um supports and resources on both sides. It might be that we need to instruct or educate um the child that is doing the behavior and it may mean that we need to put something like a safety plan or so forth in place for the child that is the victim of the behavior. So I do think again it's something
035that we need to monitor. I don't see a world in which both policies could exist in tandem because there are some uh one is contradictory in certain respects to the other. Um and so I I do think um my recommendation would be to remove the bullying policy. Um and that is what um the state is recommending that this policy is replaced by it. But like any, you know, um, pretty significant policy change, we're going to have to monitor the roll out. And I would not be surprised if that is one area in which we might be looking to add back in some language. Um, just like this restorative practices has exceptions for um, you know, violent or criminal behavior. Um, we might we might need to put an exception if there is an extreme case
036of bullying in there. And so that is certainly something that that we will be mindful and watchful over uh as we roll this out. Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate that. And are there other questions from Go ahead, Kelly. I was just going to say one other thing is um you know I understand um Wanita to your earlier comment regarding the regulations um and so forth. I am wondering if as we're building and developing those regulations over the course of the next school year if there are maybe and K I'll defer to you on this as as the chairperson but maybe a couple of check-ins across the year where we could just provide some feedback maybe not the regulations in their entirety but so far so far with the roll out we've done this
037this is what we would recommend um and maybe check in a few times across the school year so we're not having just an end of the year conversation related to the regulations that would also give a time for this committee to ask any questions questions and response, give feedback so that when we get to the end of the year, we have fully uh flushed out regulations related to this policy. Just I think that's a great idea. Oneita, did you have something else? Um that sounds good and um thank you, Kelly, um for the excellent ex explanation and um responding to the uh questioning. Thank you. You're welcome. Um I will uh just concur with uh Teresa's earlier point. Um I don't necessarily want to this is not again in the forum necessarily to have a
038conversation about the direct cost of this but I will express the same concern that if we don't staff this properly um in each building, it's going to be very difficult to follow through on the policy um itself. Um, I know that, uh, you know, to Wanita's point, it's a series of interactions that happen with students who are in this behavioral situation. Um, and I know that that in some cases in some classrooms across the district, they're already practicing this. Um but I think that uh you know especially as you get into older kids whose actions are perhaps a little bit more um uh challenging to manage uh that that that's got a potential to create uh a real issue with the resources that we have available. So I just want to express that thought. Um
039are there any other uh questions or feedback from committee members? Anything from non-committee members? Okay. In that case, I am looking for a recommendation for first read of policy 5114.12 restorative practice response uh sorry response policy uh for a full read to the uh first read for the board. Is there a motion on the floor? We'll make the motion. Second. Thank you. Thank you, Anita. Uh, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. I. I. Thank you. Motion so carries. Kelly, thank you very much. We're ready to move on to uh 5141.21, administering medication, which will be replaced by revised policy 5141.21, student health services. Thank you. So, we're switching gears uh a little bit now. Um we are going uh continuing on with our 5000 series, but these next four policies that
040you're going to see um have to do with our health services. Um and so what we did do is we took uh the CAB recommended policies, also married them with our current district practices as well as um you know current state uh requirements. Um, and I'll show you the proposed cave policies and you will see some highlighted sections in which we just tried to personalize it a little bit for Danbury um, to make sure it was in alignment with certain positions and and so forth. So, give me one sec while I bring up 5141.21 Two. One. Can everyone see that? Okay. Kate, I can't hear you. Sorry. Could you just zoom in to like 125%, please? Thank you. I always forget to do that. Thank you. Is that better? Yes. Thank you. Okay. So, this
041talks about our student health services and really the requirements um for physicals, vaccinations, screenings in the school environment. Um so, this policy is much more extensive. The former policy that we're replacing really focused around um administering of medication. Um and this one really goes over all the legal requirements of the age levels and grade levels at which students have to have uh their physicals done. um the requirements for immunizations, tuberculosis screenings, um uh eye and vision screening, um uh scoliosis screening in the school environment. Uh so it encompasses uh the state statutory language regarding our health services requirement. Um so you will see here uh the yellow language uh the yellow highlights um are things that we just added in. Um, for example, we have a coordinator of health services here in the district and
042this policy is overseen by both our school nurses as well as um, Carrie Burke. Um, so we added her name here. Um, one of the changes we did uh, we did recommend here um, our nurses of course are are responsible for appraising the health status of our students. Um, when someone is injured or comes across a sudden illness uh, in the school environment, our school nurses are also responsive. So, we put the school personnel here when it's really more emergent. Um, our school nurses primary responsibility is for our kids um and monitoring their health and well-being as far as making sure they're compliant with physicals and so forth. Um, when it comes to emergency situations, it would be both our staff and students and we thought it was important here. Um, but it's not typical
043that a that a school nurse would be advising, for example, uh, one of our staff members on their medical conditions minus an emergency. um health records. This reminds us that all of our records are uh protected by furpa um and then HIPPA as well with some of the um privacy information related to medical records. And that's important because um there are certain situations in which information cannot be shared uh to protect students rights. Um we then go on to talk about who can do the physical examination. Uh typically it is a child's physician but there are times and situations in which um an advanced practice registered nurse could do a physical, a PA or um in in some circumstances a medical advisor. Um so that was updated here. We typically don't have a reg a
044registered nurse responsible for the annual physical screening which is why there's a strike through here. Um it goes on to talk about what the health assessment should include. Um and so uh that is by statutory language what is required to be considered an annual physical examination. Um there was some optional language here for tuberculosis screening. Um and in collaboration and coordination with our uh medical adviser um it was not advisable to use this optional language. You'll see much more detailed language later in the policy. So I'm just going to pause there and show it to you. Um it talks about um uh screenings need to be done um at you know at certain entry levels or eight grade levels into the district. Um and again goes over exactly what those screenings entail. Um continuing on
045uh the vision screenings are provided um at our elementary grade levels in kindergarten first, third, fourth and fifth. Um and again that is uh language that is recommended in statutory requirements. We also do hearing screenings at the elementary level. Um this pastoral screenings is really your scoliosis screening. Um and that is done um at grades uh five and seven for male no I got that wrong. Five and seven for females and eight and nine for males. Um and here we just added the language if not previously completed by the child's physical examination. oftentimes many of our students will have that as part of their regular physical if it has already been done by their physician. It does not need to be repeated in the school environment but this is meant for any student that has
046not had that scoliosis screening and of course a parent um or school staff member and then we would reach out to a parent if there was any signs or suspicions that something was wrong. We could of course do the screening at another time or grade level. Um the tuberculosis testing is another um thing that and we really recommend here and this was based on our um school medical advisor that the alternative language here is used. Um, and this really defines who would need a TB test. And there are certain risk factors um that then would um require someone to uh have a TB screening test um in order to be just like it's required to have vaccinations, the TB test would be required for entry into the school environment. Um further here, it goes out
047to spell out all the different immunizations that are required um by Connecticut General Statute. There's quite a few. Um and at the bottom here, um we did find this language a little bit confusing and this was um after Carrie and I talking about it. Uh students are required to have um this vaccination um uh for um their kindergarten year, the Vericella vaccine. Um and so it says or um or it also indicated and in seventh grade. Those are um two years in which the kindergarten screening is required. and then again when the child is in middle school. But the um this particular vaccine is is recommended um by the Academy of Pediatrics by the time that a student is entering kindergarten. So what we're saying is if a student enters kindergarten, this vaccine should this
048vaccine should be administered already um or at another grade level. Let's say they move into us at third grade. But if a child moves in after kindergarten, we wouldn't want to wait until seventh grade to check that they have it. Um so that's why we altered that language here. Um this uh goes on to um also talk about our preschool students and requirements at that level and really just spells out the different immunizations here. Um it also uh highlights any of the oral health assessments. Um so this is some of our work with uh CIFIC where they've been able to do some dental clinics. Unfortunately, we have not seen as many of those in recent years, but this allows um in the policy for those to continue when they are able to um give us
049the staff the staff personnel to do so. Um and then lastly, it talks about, sorry, I feel like I've been saying a lot. It talks about our um sports physicals. Um what you'll see here is that we are recommending um and this is one change. They have to have a sports physical um before the the first day that they participate in the sports. Um the sports physical is basically required annually, but you will see here that we say every 13 months. Um and part of that is um for those of you that have ever tried to schedule a physical for your kid, if you had it on May 1st of last year, you can't get an appointment till at least May 2nd of this year. So it gives that window of time for people to
050be able to do that. Um we also have had it as a practice and really is the recommendation of Carrie that it continues annually for any of our athletes. You are allowed to do by annually if you want but we really feel it's important that we're screening kids um at that you know middle high school level that they're safe to participate in our athletics and would definitely recommend the annual annual screening um thereafter. Um, I think that pretty much covers the highlights of the policy, but a much more extensive policy talking about all the legal requirements. Um, particularly if there's questions of a parent of what vaccines are required and so forth. This really spells it out without having to go into the statutory language. Terry, um, this is just a format. I printed the
051documents off the agenda. the highlighted uh areas that you changed or added. Uh I didn't see that. Did I miss that? No. So the the packet that you received, Terry, was with all just the straight CA policy and I added that in to show you here's the cave policy and these are the additions that we would recommend. I try not to alter the cave policy um without showing you and walking you through what is there. I appreciate that. No, I was just did I get the question papers? But we typically accept cave policies with very minor revisions. This one had quite a few which is why I did it on the version to go over tonight. No, thank you. Thank you. Appreciate that, Kelly. Thank you. Questions from other committee members. Again, it's a pretty
052extensive policy, but uh you know, given the regulations and the circumstance of the regulations at the state level around this stuff, it's really important that we adhere to that. Uh seeing no questions from committee members, any questions from non-committee members? I would just like to ask a question and I know how important it is uh when the child first enters uh kindergarten because I went through that process myself. Are there any waiverss given at any time? Miss Cooper, are you referring to the vaccinations? Right. Yes. So, formally there used to be religious exemptions for vaccinations. Um, and any student that started uh school, that was a couple of years ago, um, that that waiver discontinued. Um, and so any student that's entered since that change in statutory language is required to have um to have
053the, uh, vaccinations. There are very rare circumstances um, in which it would be, you know, potentially, let's say, very dangerous for a child or a family member. Um, and that is with uh, serious medical consultation. But otherwise all um of our students that are entering school um are required to have all the vaccinations. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions before we wrap this up? Just Kate, I'm sorry I'm in the middle of driving so I I'm No problem. Go ahead, Michelle. Um so is everything that we are putting forward a regulation? In other words, these are the regulations. There's nothing other than just the slight changes that we're talking about administrative and how we personally do it, but everything else is Connecticut regulation by Cape. Yeah, these are Connecticut statuto uh state
054statutes that are required um and is the CA recommended policy minus the few highlights that I went over in yellow. Really just clarifying or additional, you know, specifying our personnel that are doing it here in district. Perfect. Thank you very much for the clarification. Uh any question any other questions before we move forward? All right. Then I am looking for a uh motion to recommend to the board for full reading for first read of 5141.21 student health services. That motion. Thank you Al. Is there a second please? Second. Thank you Michelle. Uh, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you very much. All right, let's keep going. 5141.22 communicable infectious disease. Second. Apologize. Um that's it's just going to populate for a second to bring to
055the right one the correct policy. Here we go. Um so this one is communicable and infectious disease. Um this is a pretty short policy. It is exactly uh taken from CABE. Um essentially it um if there was a situation in which there was um a serious risk of transmission of of a disease or illness from a student to the rest of the students or staff um this policy um in consultation with the medical uh experts and and nursing staff and Carrie Burke who is our coordinator of health services um would allow removal of that student from school. Um, and really that that that is meant to do in extreme situations um to protect the health, safety, and well-being of everyone else in the school community. Um, and of course, if that were to occur, we
056would work to make sure that that child received the appropriate uh treatments, for example. Um and also um maybe potentially put into place something like a homebound instruction uh so that the child could continue on with their education in a virtual capacity or something of that nature uh while we protect the the health, safety and welfare of everyone else. So this is really meant um what do you do in those situations in which someone could could um pose a potential risk to the school community. It doesn't seem like there's much of a substantial difference between the two policies other than the second one is using a lot more language to yes describe the same conditions. I think it has a co update is what I how I read it. Yeah. Uh are there questions from
057any committee members on this? Okay. Um, without any qu questions from committee members, any non-committee members have any questions? Can you just scroll down? I just want to make sure I have the right when I'm look. Okay, thank you. Nothing was changed on the printed version. I promise. No, thank you. No, I just want to make sure I had all this paperwork. All right. This is a pretty straightforward policy. So, um I'm I'm not surprised there's not much conversation on it, but if I could get a motion, please to recommend to the board for a first read of policy 5141.22, communicable infectious disease. Motion. A second. Thank you, Wanita. Thank you, Al. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? All right. Motion so carries. Thank you very much. Uh we
058will move down to policy 5141.231 and it looks like slash4118.231 psychotropic drug use. Correct. Um so the reason that there's two two policy numbers on this is that this um as you'll see here in the high in the title refers to students. The 5000 series number refers to students. The 4000 series number refers to personnel. Do not ask me why they don't have the same number as the rest of them. I don't don't know. that would just be too easy. Um, but this uh this has to do, I think, another very self-explanatory policy um with the use of psychotropic drugs um and essentially saying that they're prohibited from both school staff as well as students um in the school community. I think this one is fairly straightforward as well. Are there any questions from committee
059members? Any questions from non-committee members? May I just ask you scroll down and make sure I got the right documents? Thank you, hun. The only other thing I will add is there there's a note here um from CABE if we wanted to add anyone else. Um, and essentially this paragraph is referring to that school health or mental health personnel, and it goes on to list who school nurses, practitioners, the district's medical adviserss, psychologists, social workers, and school counselors may recommend that a student be evaluated by an appropriate medical practitioner. If there was any other personnel that we wanted to list in that uh listing, we could do so. um it seems very comprehensive in nature from the appropriate personnel that we have in the school environment to do that. So I do not feel an
060explicit need to list anyone else. Um but certainly just wanted to highlight that for conversation and I'm just striking it through because it's not part of the policy. It's just if we wanted to add someone else Kelly, I assume you're comfortable with that those designations based on what you've said. I am. Okay. Oneita. Yeah. Here I go again. So um at the end of school um social workers and school counselors as well as any other um school personnel designated by the board by the superintendent by the board by the So Wayne just understand so you would recommend just adding in after the word counselors and any other school personnel as designated by and then either board of ed or superintendent I Yes. suggestion. Yeah, it's it sorry. No, go ahead. I was just going to
061say I would certainly uh I would certainly be okay adding uh uh anyone else designated by the superintendent since I don't think we would appropriately designate the person responsible for that communication. So, okay. How does that feel? That looks good to me. Do other uh committee members have any opinion on this? Okay. Uh any other feedback on this particular uh policy from committee members or non-committee members? Okay, seeing none, I will ask for a motion uh for to recommend to the board for first read policy 5141.2314118.231 psychotropic drug use. I'll make the motion case. Thank you, Al. Is there a second, please? Second. Thank you, Ananita. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? All right. Motion still carries. Thank you. Um, all right. We're on track here. We're going to
062go with policy 5141.25, students with special health care needs, food allergy. Okay. Um, again, another um recommended policy uh to be updated. uh not significant um changes. There's one I will highlight that was just added in yellow. Um but this really has to do with response to a food allergy um in the school environment. Could be known or unknown because we do experience both. Um meaning that you know a student may have a reaction to something that is a known allergen. Um but they may also try school lunch and have a response to something that is an unknown allergen. Um the the only thing we have here is we've added this will be um there's the cartridge injector or the EpiPen um which is kind of the traditional uh way that we have addressed food
063allergies in the school environment if a student is having an allergic reaction. Um some students have their own script but we also stock EpiPens in each one of our school nurses office. Um, and that is done, god forbid, if there's a life-threatening allergy or illness, we're able to give immediate care and our policy is to to call 911 immediately so that they can follow up um at the ER. Um, there is going to be uh July 1, so we're being a little bit preemptive here. Uh, the passing of this nasal spray, which will be an alternative to um the EpiPen. Um, so it's uh a little bit more kidfriendly. Um, and it will be an acceptable or allowable, permissible response if a student is having an allergy. Um, and so we would like to add
064that that wording into the language. Again, it will be permissible come July 1st and by the time this policy hopefully goes gets approved through the board, we will be at the end of the year and would be appropriate to add in the the nasal spray. Um, other than that, it's pretty I think self-explanatory as far as what we do when we to those allergic reactions. Questions from committee members? Kelly, what protocols are in place right now as far as protecting the safety of students that do have food allergies? Sure. So, um, handled a variety of different ways and I think, um, based on, um, the level of the students, um, because our older students, most of whom can self- advocate for themselves, know what they're allergic to, are able to, um, you know, state what
065they can and cannot have, um, we're trying to build independence with them. But for many of our younger uh, learners, as well as some of our students with special needs, um, they need adults to be aware. So, couple of things happen. Um, you know, each year the the school nurses are reviewing the health uh medical records that we just talked about in the first first medical policy we went over. Um, part of that is any allergies. Um, they then create a list of any students that have allergies and those are communicated with any uh staff members that will be working with the children. Um, so for example, uh, the kindergarten teacher will know as well as all the special area teachers that may come into contact with the child. uh depending on the severity of
066the allergic response, a treatment response would be uh part of that plan. Um you know, up to and including an EpiPen and and 911 phone call if needed. Um and so that is communicated to uh the the school staff that are working the teaching staff that are working with them. Um if there is a par educator or so forth working, it would also be included with that person. Um that is also given to our food services um so that they have a running list and it does alert on their end um if there is something that is being served that is a potential allergy and it will send up an alert so the student can't order that that lunch for example a gluten allergy or something like that. Um then uh it is also communicated
067to our bus company. Um and so all all the um individuals that are that would be interacting uh with a student to and from school on the bus the health the um sorry the food services and then with the staff working with the child in in the um school are all made aware of those. Um they also have at the elementary level for example um most have uh you know a place that it'll be posted for staff to see that if you're supervising children that might be in another class you know any child in there that has an allergy as well um and they're left for sub plans and so forth. Thank you Teresa question birthday cupcakes do they allow those anymore? No, no. Uh, and I tr I I know the kids don't love
068it, but the allergies um is just it's too much of a risk. Um, so it is it is not permissible. Is that in any of this stuff? There is one and off the top of my head, I couldn't tell you what policy, but there is a policy because I know we did it with Kathy Odow and she was adamant that that was one of the things that is it is written into one of theirs that no outside food for those kind of celebrations. It's a health and wellness thing as well. Um, but also for the allergy piece. Thank you. [Music] Any other questions from committee members here? Questions from non-committee members? Did you highlight that on purpose for us? I highlighted that just to strike it through. We have both the district website as well
069as the school website where these policies are very clearly posted. So there's not a need to do it in another compendium document. Okay. Thank you. Appreciate your clarification. All right. Last chance. Any thoughts on this policy before we uh call it for a vote? All right. Seeing none, I will ask for a motion to make a recommendation to the board for first read of policy 5141.25, students with special healthcare needs, food allergy. Motion second. Thank you. Second from Al. Thank you very much. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? All right. Motion. Who made Excuse me. Who made the motion? Oneita. Oneita did. Okay. And it was seconded by Al. All right. Well, that brings us to the conclusion of this meeting. That might be the fastest policy meeting I
070think we've ever had. Uh, good job, Kate. Yeah, it was a team effort. I certainly appreciate everybody's participation this evening. Uh, when folks show up and they're prepared and and ready to move, uh, it does make things go much smoother and I appreciate that. All right. Uh, we'll look for a motion to adjourn at 7:04 p.m. We make that motion. Thank you, Al. May I have a second, please? Second. Thank you, Michelle. All those in favor, please say